Press assembly for compacting and binding wire coils

ABSTRACT

A press for compacting and binding wire coils on a spool which incorporates a medium pressure and a high pressure hydraulic fluid pump in conjunction with a low pressure and a medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator for operating the hydraulic jacks for compressing and binding the wire coils and removing the bound coils from the compressing mechanism. The invention utilizes a plurality of pressure controls for actuating electric control valves to selectively connect either of the hydraulic pumps to the hydraulic cylinders when higher pressure and fluid flow are required, or the oil-pneumatic accumulators to the hydraulic cylinders when lower pressure and little fluid flow is required, in order to obtain the most efficient operation of the press.

0 United States Patent [151 3,675,568 Martelee 51 July 1 l, 1972 1541 PRESS ASSEMBLY FOR COMPACTING 3,129,658 4/l964 l0O/3 ux AND BINDING WIRE COILS 3,266.4l2 8/l966 Rodenbusch t l00/3 3,548,739 l2/l970 Glasson l00/3 [72] inventor: Ghlslaln Antoine JeturMnrie Martelee,

Liege, Belgium Primary ExaminerBilly .l. Wilhite [73] Assignee: cotkeriuougmpmvidem a aspen Attorney-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion. Zinn & Macpeak Longdoa, en abrege Cockerlll,, Serainglez-Liege. Belgium [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: July 28, 1970 A pres for compacting and binding wire coils on a spool which incorporates a medium pressure and a high pressure 1 pp N94 9- hydraulic fluid pump in conjunction with a low pressure and a medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator for operating the hydraulic jacks for compressing and binding the wire coils and Foreign Applkauon but, Dam removing the bound coils from the compressing mechanism.

July 28 1969 Belgium ..737.690 The invention utilizes a plurality of pressure controls for acmating electric control valves to selectively connect either of [52] US. Cl. ..l00/7, 100/3, 100/ I2. the hydraulic pumps to the hydraulic cylinders whenhigher IOU/269 R pressure and fluid flow are required, or the oil-pneumatic ac- [51] Int. Cl [3/02 cumulators to the hydraulic cylinders when lower pressure [58] Field of Search IOU/3, 7, I2, 269 R and little fluid flow is required in order to obtain the most effcient operation of the press. [56] Relerences Cited 3 China, 3 Drawing figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,926,598 3/l960 Dentzer et al [00/3 X PATENTEDJUL 1 1 1972 SHEET 1 BF 3 PKTE'N'TEDJUL 1 1 m2 3,675,568 sum 2 or s FIE- 2 P'A'TENTEDJUL 1 I am sum 3 or 3 MOE PRESS ASSEMBLY FOR COMPACTING AND BINDING WIRE COILS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to a press to be used for compacting coils of metal wire and for connecting the coils thus compressed by means of straps.

As the fabricated metal wire comes out of the rolling mills and/or wire drawing plants, it is preferably rolled into coils upon fairly large spools. Although these coils of wire are contiguous, the spirals are not very tight, thus causing the coils of wire on the spools to have a rather large volume or size, as compared to their weight. This is somewhat of an inconvenience during transportation and storage, in view of the size.

In order to reduce the size of the spools of coiled wire, one method used is to place several reels or spools side by side, compressing the spools of wire with a large force, and maintaining them in a compressed condition by means of links which generally consist of straps. This method of compacting the reels or spools has the advantage of reducing the size of the coils by about 40 percent and is presently accomplished by utilizing compacting and binding presses. These presses incorporate for the placement of the reels a generally V-shaped support mounted on a floorplate which can be retracted between a fixed shielded and a movable shield which, for this purpose, is connected to a piston of a hydraulic compression jack supplied directly with hydraulic pressure by pumps.

2. Description of the Prior Art In known presses, the pumps usually run in a vacuum to avoid the generation of heat in the safety valves, which are released only in case of emergencies. Since the shield must work rapidly, the jacks must move rapidly during the thrust and compacting, thus requiring large flow rates. Because of this large flow rate and force requirement, the pumps and the drive motors must be very powerful. This means that the pumps and drive motors, as well as the pipes and valves, are very large in size and very costly. Moreover, when they run dry or in a vacuum, these large pumps cause the heating of the oil and cannot operate to maintain constant compacting pressure during the tying operation because of the excessive heating which would result from this type of operation. The compacting pressure must be as constant as possible during the typing operation. Therefore, the known presses must be equipped with costly auxiliary devices, such as small pumps, batteries, etc. in order to compensate for the internal losses or leakage from the compacting jack, as well as non-return valves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The basic problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a compacting and tying press which does not require drive motors for the pumps as powerful as those used in the known presses.

A press utilizing the structure of the present invention is characterized by the fact that the side of the face of the piston opposite the rod connected to said piston of the hydraulic compression jack is placed in communication with an oilpneumatic battery having an average pressure sufficient for moving the mobile floor-plate toward the fixed floor-plate, and with an average pressure pump which is actuated as to release the oil from a tank when the pressure in a medium pressure battery drops below a certain value, and with a high pressure pump which releases the oil from the above-mentioned tank toward the compression jack until reaching the desired compacting pressure, after which the pressure in said jack attains a specific value which is smaller than the compacting pressure, and then maintains this pressure at essentially zero flow rate during the tying or banding operation. This high pressure pump is also in communication with the hydraulic compression jack on the side of the face of the piston oriented toward the rod, in order to release the oil after the tying operation and remove the mobile floor-plate from the fixed floorplate and to force the oil contained in the jack on the side of the face of the piston opposite the rod into a low pressure battery or accumulator. This low pressure battery is in communication with the guide strap introduction jack, which includes a jack for the displacement of the retractable floor-plate, in conjunction with a jack for the opening of the V-support and mounted on the retractable floor-plate, and a jack for pivoting a floor-plate intended for the reception of the tied reels around a fixed pivot. The connection of the pumps, batteries, and jacks with each other is controlled by pressostats," or pressure sensors, and switches acting on the electric valves in response to the pressure sensors.

Each electrical motor can thus furnish a relatively constant power during the entire duration of the compacting and tying cycle, contrary to the operation of present presses, in which the motors must furnish a much greater power during a much shorter operating period.

Therefore, all other things being equal, it is possible that, in the present presses, the motors must furnish 10 times more power during one-tenth of the operating time as compared to the application involving the press according to the present invention.

Further details will emerge in the following description of the attached drawing which by waY of example shows one version of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the present invention along line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a control device, with only the elements necessary for understanding the other elements having been omitted for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A compacting and tying press has mounted on a framework 48 a fixed shielded 49 and a mobile shield 50 for compression, between which is positioned a retractable floor-plate 1, provided with a supporting V-shaped structure 2 for receiving the reels 3 to be compacted. A pivoting floor-plate 4 permits the release of the finished packages or spools. The mobile compression shield 50 is connected to the piston 50 of a hydraulic compression jack 5 by a rod 50. The chamber 5a, which is situated on the side of the face of the piston 50 opposite rod 5c of said piston, is connected by means of a conduit 6a, in which is connected an electric valve 6b, to a medium pressure oilpneumatic accumulator or battery 6 which is, itself, connected by a conduit 7a, which has an. electric valve 7b and a non-feedback valve 70 connected therein to a medium pressure pump 7 driven by an electric motor 8. Into the same chamber 5!; of jack 5 is connected a second conduit 9a provided with an electric valve 9b and a non-feedback valve 9c. This conduit is connected to a high-pressure pump 9 driven by the same motor 8 that drives medium pressure pump 7.

The press further includes a device 51 for the introduction of strap guides between the reels 3 to be tied together. This device is connected by a rod to the piston 12d of a jack 12, which is carried by the mobile shield 50. Chamber 12b of this jack, which is situated on the side of the face of the piston 12d opposite rod 12a, is in communication with an oil-pneumatic, low-pressure accumulator or battery 11, via conduits lie, 1 la, and an electric valve 1 lb.

At the beginning of a compacting and tying operation, four or five reels 3 are placed on the V-shaped support 2 of the retractable floor-plate l, situated in its top position, the pivoting floor-plate 4 being in its horizontal position.

An electric valve 612 of conduit 60 and the electric valve 1 lb of conduit 1 1a are then moved to the right simultaneously. Because of the hydraulic connections made by these movements, the oil, which is under medium pressure, is driven from the accumulator 6 and, passing through conduit 60 and electric valve 6b, pressurizes the chamber b of jack 5, whose piston 50 is pushed toward the right in the FIG. 3 so as to move the mobile shield toward the fixed shield 49, and the oil exhausting from the chamber 5d situated on the side of the rod of the piston of the jack 5, passes through the conduit 13 and electric valve 9b to reach the oil reservoir tank 14. Simultaneously, the oil coming from a low pressure oil pneumatic accumulator 1 1 passes through conduit 11a, electric valve 11!), and conduit 11c, into the chamber 12!: of jack 12 for manipulation of the strap guide device (not shown). The oil from chamber 12:, on the side of rod 120, is forced from the chamber and passes through conduit 17 and valve 11b and into reservoir tank 14.

During the movement of piston 50 to the right, the pressure in the accumulator 6, measured by a pressure gauge or sensor 15, decreases. When the pressure drops below a certain predetermined value, the pressure gauge or sensor 15 initiates the movement of valve 711 to the right so that the low pressure pump 7 then pumps the oil contained in reservoir tank 14 directly into chamber 5b and into the accumulator 6, which is thus recharged. During the compression of the reels 3 between the two shields, the pressure in chamber 5b rises. When the pressure chamber 5b reaches a certain value a pressure gauge and control 16 is actuated so as to open the electrical supply circuit to the electric valve 6b, which is thus moved to the left, to a neutral position, shown in the figure, and also to close the electrical supply circuit to an electric valve 9b which is thus moved to the right. The high pressure pump 9, which is driven by motor 8, has a variable flow rate which, after thebeginning of the operation, has returned to zero flow rate, then begins to pump the oil at a high pressure from tank 14 into chamber 5b of jack 5, through conduit 90 and electric valve 9b, so as to push the mobile shield 50 toward the fixed shield 49.

The movement of the pressure gauge control 16 due to the pressure rise in chamber 5b also results in the opening of the electrical circuit to electric valve 7b, which is thus moved to the left. This causes the medium pressure tank 6 to be isolated between the two valves 6b and 7b, until the desired compacting pressure, which is regulated at the pump, has been reached, or until piston 50 of jack 5 has moved a certain distance, which is determined in advance by the length required by the pressed reel packages 3. When the mobile shield compresses the reels 3 to a maximum on the V-shaped support 2, the flow rate of pump 9 drops to a value which is practically zero and the pressure in chamber 5b of jack 5 is maintained indefinitely. Pump 9 is always ready to compensate for small leakages of oil pressure which, during the tying operation, prevents the compacted reels from becoming accidentally loosened.

During the movement of the mobile shield 50 toward the fixed shield 49 and the compression of the reels, a pressure gauge control 18 is actuated the moment the pressure in chamber 5b of jack 5 reaches a value for which the reels, tightened by the mobile shield, can no longer slide between the mobile shield and the fixed shield. This actuation of pressure gauge control 18 causes the closing of the electrical circuit to an electric valve 19 which is thus moved to the left, so that the oil coming from the battery 11 passes through a conduit 20, electric valve 19, a conduit 21, and reaches the chamber of a jack 22 on the side of the rod 220, articulated on the retractable floor-plate 1. Rod 22a of jack 22 is retracted because oil is driven out of the chamber on the piston side opposite the rod 22a and passes through a conduit 23, valve 19, conduits 24 and 25, in order to arrive in reservoir tank 14. As a result of the return of rod 22a, the retractable floor-plate l is drawn toward the left and is lowered, moving from the outside spiral of the precompressed reels 3 which can thus expand freely in the course of the entire compacting phase. During the compacting phase, when valve 11b is moved to the right, the strap guide introduction device 51, which has advanced at the same time as the mobile shield 50, while preceding the mobile shield 50, is supported on the fixed shield 49 and is thus pushed back, thereby causing rod 12a of jack 12 to return by forcing oil into chamber 12c from tank 14 through conduit 17 and forcing oil out of chamber 121:, which passes through conduit 11c, valve llb, conduit 11a, in order to move back into the battery 11, or into tank 14, after opening, by means of the switch 11d, the electrical supply circuit for said valve llb, which is thus returned to the position shown in the FIG. 3.

When the compacting pressure has been reached in chamber 5b of jack 5, a pressure gauge control 26 is actuated, which results in the closing of the electrical circuit of electric valve 7b which is moved to the right. The medium pressure pump 7 then supplies, through valve 7b and conduit 7a, additional oil under pressure to the battery 6, which is thus resupplied. At this moment, the high pressure pump 9 requires only a small amount of power because it is being used merely to maintain the compacting pressure. Therefore, the largest portion of the power of motor 6 can be used to drive the medium pressure pump 7.

During and after compacting, the machine operator proceeds with the tying operation and then to the ejection of the package that has been formed. In order to perfonn this operation, he brings about the simultaneous movement of electric valves 6b, 9b, and 1 lb to the left. in this way, chamber 5b of jack 5 is placed in communication with the low pressure battery 11, via conduit 6a, electric valve 6b, and conduit 28 and 11a. Chamber 5d of this same jack 5 is placed in communication with the high pressure pump 9, via conduit 13, electric valve 9b, and conduit 9a. The pressure drops in chamber 5b of jack 5 so that the pressure of the mobile shield against the tied reels 3 diminishes. These reels then slide by force of gravity between the two shields and are picked up by the V- shaped support 2. The pressure gauge control 26 is closed and pressure gauge control 18 is opened due to the action of the pressure drop in chamber 5b, thereby causing the movement of electric valve 19 to the right. Jack 22 is thus supplied from low pressure battery ll via conduit 20, valve 19, and conduit 23, and rod 22a is moved to the right in order to raise the retractable floor-plate l. The oil in the jack chamber situated on the side of rod 220 is forced back to tank 14 via conduit 21, valve 19, and conduits 24 and 25. The raising of the retractable floor-plate 1 causes the movement of the compressed and tied reel package 3 away from the fixed shield. This package had earlier been picked up by the V-shaped support 2.

After chamber 5d of jack 5 has thus been placed in communication with high pressure pump 9, following the movement of valve 9b toward the left, the pump 9 supplies the oil at high pressure into chamber 5d, thus causing the mobile shield to be removed from the fixed shield and to move it into its original departure position. The return of piston 50 to the left in jack 5 causes the oil remaining contained in chamber 5b to be forced back toward the low pressure battery 11. Thus the pressure in battery 11 rises and, when it exceeds a certain value, a pressure gauge control 29 is actuated so as to close the electrical supply circuit of an electric valve 30 which is thus moved toward the bottom in the FIG. 3. In this way, the oil coming from chamber 5b via conduit 6a, valve 6b, and conduit 28 is diverted toward tank 14, via valve 30 and a conduit 31.

During this time, piston 12a of jack I2 is moved to the left, due to the action of the oil coming from the low pressure battery ll into chamber 12c of jack 12 via conduit 11a, valve 11b, displaced toward the left, and conduit 17. The oil contained in chamber 12b of this jack 12 is forced back to tank 14 via conduit 11c and valve 11b. When piston 12d arrives at the end of its stroke in chamber 12b of jack l2, rod of the atter activates a switch 32 which then opens the electrical supply circuit of electric valve 1 lb, which causes the latter to be returned to the neutral position, shown in the FIG. 3, for which the two chambers 12b and 12c are in communication with tank 14.

In a similar manner, when piston 50 of jack 5 arrives at the end of its stroke in chamber 5b, the rod 5c of jack 5 activates a switch 27 which then opens the electrical supply circuit of electric valve 6b and 9b, which are thus returned to the neutral position.

At the end of its stroke toward the right, referring to FIG. 3, the retractable floor-plate l activates a switch 33. From that moment onward and for so long as the switches 27 and 32 have been actuated by the return of pistons 5a and 12b at the end of their strokes, respectively, in chambers 5b and 12b of jacks 5 and 12, the operator causes the closing of the electrical supply circuit of an electric valve 34 which is thus moved to the left. In this manner, the oil is supplied from the low pres sure battery 11 toward a jack 36 which activates the pivoting floor-plate 4, via the conduits 11a and 20, valve 34, and conduit 35. The pivoting floor-plate is thus raised and, simultaneously, the oil contained in jack 36, on the side of rod 36a, is forced back toward tank 14, via conduit 38, valve 34, and conduits 39 and 25.

At the end of its pivoting motion, the floor-plate 4 activates a switch 37 which controls the excitation of an electric valve 40. The valve 40 is moved to the left and the low pressure battery 11 supplies the oil into a jack 42, on the side of its rod 420, through conduits 110 and 20, valve 40, and conduit 41. Oil is forced out of jack 42, on the side of the piston opposite the rod 42a, through conduit 43, valve 40, conduits 44, 39, and 25, toward tank 14. Thus, rod 42a of jack 42 retracts, causing the part 2b of support 2 to pivot downward. The latter support 2 opens so that portion 2b is placed in line with the pivoting floor-plate 4. The package of compressed and tied reels 3 is released and rolls on the inclined floor-plate thus formed, from which it reaches the ground where it is picked The machine operator then causes the floor-plate 4 to return its horizontal position, the V-shaped support 2 to be is reformed, and is to be ready to receive a new series of reels.

An electric valve 52 is inserted in conduit 13 between valve 9b and chamber 5d of jack 5. This electric valve is controlled electrically from a switch 47 which can be moved parallel to the movement of piston 5a and activated by rod 50 or the mobile shield 50 when the latter has compressed the reels 3 until a package having a certain length has been formed. The activation of switch 47 causes the displacement of said electric valve 52 so that it blocks the conduit l3, Thus some oil remains contained in chamber 5d of jack 5 and prevents a movement of piston 50 to the right, in spite of a rise in pressure in chamber 5b due to the action of pump 9.

What is claimed is:

l. A press assembly for compacting reels of wire into tight coils and binding the coils with straps comprising:

a V-shaped support for holding the reels;

a retractable floor-plate mounting the V-shaped support;

a removable floor plate;

a fixed shield;

a mobile shield;

a hydraulic compression jack having a piston connected to the mobile shield;

an actuating rod connected to the jack;

a strap guide mounted on the jack;

a low pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means;

a medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means;

a medium pressure pump;

a high pressure pump having a variable flow rate;

a hydraulic fluid reservoir;

means for driving the pumps;

control means including pressure gauge controls, electric valves and electric switches for actuating the electric valves;

the hydraulic compression jack having one side of the piston opposite the actuating rod in communication with the medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means and with the medium pressure pump, the control means actuating the medium pressure pump to supply oil to the compression jack when the pressure in the medium pressure chamber falls below a predetermined value, the side of the piston of the hydraulic compression jack opposite the actuating rod further communicating with the high pressure pump, the high pressure pump su plying a compacting pressure and maintaining a prede ermined pressure below the compacting pressure at a zero flow rate during binding of the wire coils, the high pressure pump further being in communication with the jack piston side attached to the rod for releasing the oil pressure alter the binding operation by forcing the oil contained on the side of the piston opposite the actuating rod into the low pressure accumulator in order to remove the mobile shield from the fixed shield;

a pivotable floor plate for receiving the tied reels, and

a plurality of jack means for displacement of the removable floor plate, for opening the V-shaped support, for moving the retractable floor plate, and for pivoting the receiving floor plate.

2. A press assembly as in claim 1, where the means for driving the pumps includes a single motor.

3. A press assembly as in claim 1, where the control means includes an electric valve connecting the compression jack on the side of the piston of the actuator rod to the hydraulic fluid reservoir and a switch actuated by movement of the mobile shield towards the fixed shield controlling the electric valve. 

1. A press assembly for compacting reels of wire into tight coils and binding the coils with straps comprising: a V-shaped support for holding the reels; a retractable floor-plate mounting the V-shaped support; a removable floor plate; a fixed shield; a mobile shield; a hydraulic compression jack having a piston connected to the mobile shield; an actuating rod connected to the jack; a strap guide mounted on the jack; a low pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means; a medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means; a medium pressure pump; a high pressure pump having a variable flow rate; a hydraulic fluid reservoir; means for driving the pumps; control means including pressure gauge controls, electric valves and electric switches for actuating the electric valves; the hydraulic compression jack having one side of the piston opposite the actuating rod in communication with the medium pressure oil-pneumatic accumulator means and with the medium pressure pump, the control means actuating the medium pressure pump to supply oil to the compression jack when the pressure in the medium pressure chamber falls below a predetermined value, the side of the piston of the hydraulic compression jack opposite the actuating rod further communicating with the high pressure pump, the high pressure pump supplying a compacting pressure and maintaining a predetermined pressure below the compacting pressure at a zero flow rate during binding of the wire coils, the high pressure pump further being in communication with the jack piston side attached to the rod for releasing the oil pressure after the binding operation by forcing the oil contained on the side of the piston opposite the actuating rod into the low pressure accumulator in order to remove the mobile shield from the fixed shield; a pivotable floor plate for receiving the tied reels, and a plurality of jack means for displacement of the removable floor plate, for opening the V-shaped support, for moving the retractable floor plate, and for pivoting the receiving floor plate.
 2. A press assembly as in claim 1, where the means for driving the pumps includes a single motor.
 3. A press assembly as in claim 1, where the control means includes an electric valve connecting the compression jack on the side of the piston of the actuator rod to the hydraulic fluid reservoir and a switch actuated by movement of the mobile shield towards the fixed shield controlling the electric valve. 